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PM defends Afghanistan policy in al-Qaeda warning

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Published Date: 16 November 2009
By ANDREW WOODCOCK
GORDON Brown will today mount a strong defence of Britain's military mission in Afghanistan, warning that the al-Qaeda terror network poses the single biggest threat to UK national security.
The Prime Minister's speech comes after the death yesterday of the 96th British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan this year.

The soldier from 7th Battalion The Rifles was shot while on foot patrol near Sangin in Helmand province.

Mr Brown will tell an audience in London that "vigilance in defence of national security will never be sacrificed to expediency". He will add: "Necessary resolution will never succumb to appeasement. The greater international good will never be subordinated to the mood of the passing moment.

"So I vigorously defend our action in Afghanistan and Pakistan because al-Qaeda is today the biggest source of threat to our national security – and to the security of people's lives in Britain."

The comments in his annual Guildhall foreign policy speech mark the latest stage in his drive to shore up public support for the war, following a speech to military top brass and an address to the Commons.





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  • Last Updated: 16 November 2009 12:51 AM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Afghanistan
 
1

Spannerstherevengein3D,

16/11/2009 09:07:01
Its Zanu Lyebour not Al Qaeda who is posing the biggest threat to the security of the UK.
Not only militarily with its illegal war mongering but financially and economically as well.
How can Al Queda even hope to match the destructive capablities of the present UK government?
2

John Cameron,

St Andrews 16/11/2009 09:48:35
"GORDON Brown will today mount a strong defence of Britain's military mission in Afghanistan, warning that the al-Qaeda terror network poses the single biggest threat to UK national security."

This going to be a surprise to the Saviour of the World but our boys are actually fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan not al-Qaeda. The latter group are over the border in Pakistan. I hope the Dear Leader does not think this is a good excuse for a further ZANU Labour "silly war" against Pakistan. In fact, our main threat is probably from our local al-Qaeda recruits in Nottingham - but again I do not think El Gordo should actually go to war with Nottingham. Heaven preserve us! How did this clown ever manage to become Prime Minister?
3

The west awake,

Argyll 16/11/2009 12:33:50
"al-Qaeda is today the biggest source of threat to our national security – and to the security of people's lives in Britain."

But why? Why are these people risking their lives to come to the UK in order to kill and terrorise us? These people would not be doing this if they did not believe they have a cause. What is their cause? Are we examining it, is there any merit in it? Can we learn anything from them and adapt new policies? Are we perhaps wrong?

These are the questions no-one seems to be asking.
Is it because they may have a point? Is British foreign policy wrong perhaps?
All we ever hear is the "war on terror" etc, what about the debate on terror?
4

,

16/11/2009 14:34:02
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
5

Beachcomber,

Edinburgh 16/11/2009 15:52:51
#4 Wisdom, And exactly why is Britain under terrorist threat? Could it have anything to do
with TB telling us Iraq could strike the UK within
45 minutes with their weapons of mass destruction?

We were dragged into this relentless war/s by Liars and
our children are still being sent to their deaths on lies.
I'm sure that if the shoe was on the other foot, and our country was being attacked by johnny foreigner,we would be doing exactly the same.

Wisdom have you never heard of 'False Flag's'?









6

Canny Mann,

The Kingdom 16/11/2009 16:09:03
I feel it only right I should remind readers why USA and her allies are in Afghanistan.

Bush approached The Taliban government(At that time the elected government) in Afghanistan. About turning over to the USA, the believed suspects in the 9/11 attack on New York, who were believed to reside in the country. The Taliban responded as any decent government would. If the USA wanted these suspects turned over, then they would have to produce evidence to show these suspects were the perpetrators. Much the same as USA coming to the UK looking to extradite one of our nationals. There is a legal proccess to be followed.
Bush refused to co-operate with the Afghan govt. Invading under the phoney reasons of backing the Northern Alliance and Kharzi.

Kharzi is an american puppet president, imposed on the Afghans and thier country, (much like the Shah of Iran, when put into power by the USA, after thier interference and overthrow of a democracy). The Northern Alliance are the drug producing warlords the Taliban threw out.

Now after the corruption of Kharzi and his cabal of USA supported henchmen during the "Elections". We see once again a coup de tat. Kharzi is again the preisdent of Afghanistan, after a stitch up. The opposition have been defeated without a true and above board election. We in the west are told to believe this is democracy.

With the actions of the west, the treatment of the people at the hands of the Northern Alliance and the down right corruption or Kharzi, Brown wants the UK electorate to believe this "War on terror".

UK troops are dieing and being injured under false pretences. BRING THE TROOPS HOME.

The USA military with thier strike aircraft and thier B52s have bombed Afghanistan back to the stone age and thier tanks and artillery have flattened almost everything else. No running water, hospitals, schools or electricity other than in the west protected green zones.

Al queda dont need to import terrorism to the UK, they have more than en
7

Canny Mann,

16/11/2009 16:09:42
enough targets already running around in Afghanistan and the border regions of Pakistan.

The reason we have home grown terrorists is due to the fact that UK citizens know it is wrong what our governemnt is doing in foreign countries. Some of these citizens unfortunately are more radical than others. In the recent past we had the IRA, the UDA the UVF, animal rights, CND, anti capitalisation etc etc.

Home grown terror, yet the UK security forces can UNLAWFULLY KILL and get off scot free.

Brown tells untruths, twists what truth is remaining and expects us mugs the electorate who are still able to read that he is telling the truth and we should believe him.

Roll on the general election in may 2010, time for a change.
Vote SNP and give scotland a fighting chance.

Alba gu brath.
8

RDL,

17/11/2009 13:00:12
"So I vigorously defend our action in Afghanistan and Pakistan because al-Qaeda is today the biggest source of threat to our national security – and to the security of people's lives in Britain."

Excuse me but I thought the UN mandate was for action in Afghanistan only! Now the PM is admitting our 'actions' are also in Pakistan. This statement has the resonance of Nixon when he stated the American's had no Military involvement in Laos. Mission creep was coined to describe a war that that undefined aims and fuzzy objectives.

First its to rid the country of the Taliban and make it Democratic;Then to annihilate the Al-quaeda and bin Laden;Then it was to stop dangerous heroin making its way to Britain. Now commentators have started talking about Pakistans Nuclear arms falling into terrorists. Its like one step beyond and we await another reason from our esteemed leader.

I think the PM is beginning to reach for the panic button. He knows the public are loosing faith in this multi- faceted miltary adventure that's turning into our mini Vietnam.
9

Temple,

North Italy 18/11/2009 14:49:30
"Major-General Paul Newton"
"The best weapons to counter insurgents don't shoot. In other words, use bags of gold in the short term to change the security dynamics. But you don't just chuck gold at them; this has to be done wisely"

the Times have nothing to say about these words ????? or he don't remember few weeks ago ?


 

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